ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Gettysburg Address is now on display at Cornell University. It's one of five original copies penned by President Abraham Lincoln.

This year, incoming freshman were assigned to read the book "Lincoln at Gettysburg." Library staff says they thought this week, as students return to school, would be an ideal time to take it out of the archive vault.

"Since it's here this is a wonderful opportunity for people to come down and get a piece of history because it is so rare," said Eileen Heeran, assistant curator of rare books at Cornell University.

The display is open to the public through Friday at Kroch library. Cornell is the only private institution to have one of the five original copies.